I’ve all but got the green light to replace my hyundai elantra with a better vehicle for me. I do not want to buy a brand new, 40k+ truck, so I’ll go to the used market. I either want a mid size crew cab, or 1500 series double/crew. What do you look for when heading into the pre-ownes market?
What to look for in a used truck
- Thread starter nhenry
- Start date
noharleyyet
Well-known member
Might take a look at used Chevy Colorado or GMC Canyon crew cab 4wd...carfax due diligence
perma
Well-known member
Pay your local technician to give it a once over multi point inspection and have them check for recalls.
Don’t buy it if it has body rust on it.
Be sure the ABS works, ask to do a panic stop. Make sure the pedal doesn’t fade. If the pedal feels odd and/or ABS doesn’t work, ask for the last maintenance records.
Shift through the transfer case gears, try to do it on gravel.
Check the engine oil on the dipstick and make sure there’s no sludge. Check the coolant jar and make sure there’s no debris. If there’s debris in there (may look like tonsil stones) it may just need a flush. If there’s oil in it, walk away.
CARFAX for sure. Don’t buy a salvaged title vehicle, it may not be insurable.
If it’s had engine or trans work, ask if a manufacture represented dealership did the work. If they did not, don’t go for it. If a dealership did do the work, you may have a warranty on that, which is a plus.
Check the AC and heater, make sure they work at idle and while driving. If they don’t, ask how long it’s been that way.
Check the tires and see if they’re wearing unevenly, have cracks, bulges on the sidewalk, etc. Don’t make tires a deal breaker, make it a negotiating tool.
Don’t buy it if it has body rust on it.
Be sure the ABS works, ask to do a panic stop. Make sure the pedal doesn’t fade. If the pedal feels odd and/or ABS doesn’t work, ask for the last maintenance records.
Shift through the transfer case gears, try to do it on gravel.
Check the engine oil on the dipstick and make sure there’s no sludge. Check the coolant jar and make sure there’s no debris. If there’s debris in there (may look like tonsil stones) it may just need a flush. If there’s oil in it, walk away.
CARFAX for sure. Don’t buy a salvaged title vehicle, it may not be insurable.
If it’s had engine or trans work, ask if a manufacture represented dealership did the work. If they did not, don’t go for it. If a dealership did do the work, you may have a warranty on that, which is a plus.
Check the AC and heater, make sure they work at idle and while driving. If they don’t, ask how long it’s been that way.
Check the tires and see if they’re wearing unevenly, have cracks, bulges on the sidewalk, etc. Don’t make tires a deal breaker, make it a negotiating tool.
perma
Well-known member
Forgot to also mention, check the grille. If it has a Ram or Dodge emblem on it, definitely walk away unless they pay you to take it.
Kidding, enjoy the vehicle buying process. It should be fun.
Arcola
Well-known member
This! It should cost you $100-$150 if they’re doing a thorough inspection. Everything else @perma wrote is also good advice (except the dealership part. Independent shops can and do install & provide warranty for reman units from the manufacturers). Let the inspection at a shop be your final step on something you deem worthy.
All the above! I just went through this. I wanted a lightly used Ranger and searched online for a while. Dealer sites and Cars.com, and EVERY ONE I looked at I read the Carfax report as well as the original window sticker to see the original price to see how much it was marked down. Use the carfax to see where it came from if salt is an issue. Narrowed it down to a handful based on price, mileage and options desired. I used Carvana to get an offer for my trade-in vehicle then printed it out to show the dealer. Then I chose the top one on my list and called to go see it. I ended up getting that one but was ready to call the next and go there if things didn't work out. It can be a headache! Keep looking at cars.com because new ones get added.
Also! If one screams out "super deal" think twice! Ain't no such thing anymore. It doesn't hurt to look at reviews of the dealership itself. I had one that had a couple trucks priced fairly low and the reviews were awful about bait and switch with hidden pricing and costs. One happened to be a friend of mine so I knew it was real. Good luck with the search!
Also! If one screams out "super deal" think twice! Ain't no such thing anymore. It doesn't hurt to look at reviews of the dealership itself. I had one that had a couple trucks priced fairly low and the reviews were awful about bait and switch with hidden pricing and costs. One happened to be a friend of mine so I knew it was real. Good luck with the search!
I've bought a couple low mileage ex Government trucks. Maintenabce is done religiously. Just don't buy a Warden truck. mtmuley
Forkyfinder
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2023
- Messages
- 2,529
Ls engine 
Keep it simple.
Keep it simple.
I found a 2018 Sierra for a pretty good deal. I think it was an old company work truck and the car fax has 100 entries with routine maintenance. Might be test driving it soonLs engine
Keep it simple.
rjthehunter
Well-known member
How many miles? Those trucks (mine included, 2018 silverado) are known for transmission issues. If you buy it, put a new transmission thermostat in it that opens at 150 or so vs the stock one that runs your transmission at 200 degrees. That was the issues with them. If trans flushes were done on a regular basis (sounds like they probably did) there shouldn't be a problem.
That being said, I'm at 130k miles and knock on wood no real issues yet. I've done things like my starter, water pump, tensioner, but all parts that go bad on any vehicle. Pretty cheap and easy fixes.
Company trucks are great in many cases. Might have been driven hard, but the maintenance is kept up which is more than most people do. Lease vehicles are the same way. Dealers always do the maintenance, and dealers always use OEM parts!
It’s got 145k on it. It’s a 4.3L V6 with the 6 speed auto. Dealer has it for $15k.
Last edited:
rjthehunter
Well-known member
That sounds like a good deal!!
SC Living Outdoors
Well-known member
I've had multiple Frontiers. They are great trucks. My next truck will be another one. When I am looking I do an autotrader search for the lowest miles truck with no wrecks that is in my price range inside of 500 miles. Then I go get it. If you're willing to travel a bit you can get a good truck at a good deal.
TheDudeAbides
Well-known member
If you find a used truck you like and the price is right, then take it to an independent mechanic for an inspection.
Any dealer that does not allow you to take a used vehicle to an independent mechanic should be avoided.
Toyotas are great options, but they can also be abused to the point they have issues.
Research the model year and recalls on the make and model of the vehicle, to look at the potential issues that you may be facing in the future.
The next thing is watch YouTube videos on how to negotiate the prices down and how to avoid unnecessary fees.
Be willing to walk away from any deal if the dealer does not make it right for you.
Shop at the ends of months, years, or quarters when salesman need to hit their quota.
Go to your bank or credit union and get a pre approval for a certain dollar amount and check out the interest rate your bank is going to give you.
Talk to your insurance provider about Gap insurance, because there is a good chance with the interest rates being so high that you will be upside down for a portion of the loan if you finance.
The issues right now in the used market are the interest rates, we lost a generation of cars during the pandemic, and people are holding onto their cars longer than they used too because of inflation.
There are some wild numbers if you finance used cars (7-10%+), so it would be wise to put a decent amount down on a used vehicle.
Depending on how much you are going to put down and how much you drive a lease may be a decent option or even buying new. (if you are paying cash, then you can disregard the information below)
The problem is the interest rates for used cars.
A 2024 Nissan Titan is 40k new and is offering 0% for 60 months.
A 2024 Toyota Tacoma for $366 a month with $2,000 due at signing. (36 Month / 12,000 miles a year)
2024 Toyota Tacoma Lease Deals & Specials - TrueCar
www.truecar.com
I just did a search of the salt lake area and there is only 1 truck with a clean title on the market that is less than 10 years old and under $20k with less than 70k miles.
If you go up to $30k, then you have multiple options.
The problem is going to be the interest rates and what you can get.
A 30k used truck with an interest rate of 8% is going to be $610 a month over 60 months.
Paying 6,500 of interest over the course of the loan, most of which will be front loaded. Which means you will be upside down for a while in the loan, which is not a great place to be.
A new 40k Titan with an interest rate of 0% over 60 months is going to be $665 a month, with no interest over the course of the loan.
With Nissan having the last year of the Titan at least for a while, I would expect bigger savings in December if you can wait that long.
I would probably wait a little bit longer if you can if buying used, because the interest rates are way to high right now.
Like I said if you are paying cash, then you do not have to worry about the financial aspect of the interest rates.
I will say, even if you are paying cash get options for both or pretend that you are going to finance until the end of the transaction to get a better price for the truck out the door.
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